The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate baseball team is starting the season ahead.
The mild weather and having a number of players not participating in winter sports gave the team an opportunity to put in a lot of time over the winter, coach Ben Garcia indicated.
“We had a really good winter,” he said. “We had a chance to go over a lot of things that last year we started and we were trying to .. in essence we were trying to get information to ‘em like gettin’ it from a fire hose because it was a lot of stuff.”
That, he added, was because the Pirates started competitive play so quickly after the season started.
“This year we’re a little ahead,” he said.
Garcia noted there are nine players who had quality time playing last year, with seven being starters, returning this year, as well as several others who saw “sufficient time.”
He added those are being paired with some “very good athletes” in the freshman group.
While acknowledging some of the team’s members are still playing basketball, Garcia stated he thinks there will be 13 to 14 athletes on the team who could start at any time.
Garcia is also hopeful about the team’s pitching heading into the season.
“We will probably have one of the strongest pitching cores that I think we’ve had in a long time from numbers,” he said, adding there may have been better individual pitchers who have come through, but that the Pirates have about six pitchers who could start, come in in middle relief or possibly close. “So, I’m excited about that. That seems to be a really big plus in our favor.”
While the team will still have to perform and throw strikes, he added, the core group of pitchers should help the team, especially in league play.
The coach indicated he’s looking to Chris Young-Martinez, Kyler Henderson, Zach Pouyer and Cooper Ralston to lead the team in hitting.
Expected to filter in with those hitters, Garcia said, will be Dylan Dempster, Ty Richey and Charles Washburn.
“I think we have some potential hitters,” he said.
The coach also spoke about the team’s defense and depth.
“I think this is one of the best defensive teams we could put together,” Garcia said, adding that the team has welcomed Taylor Wells, a freshman, who can play every infield position, and is looking at being able to make fewer defensive changes each time a pitching change is made. “That is a huge, huge plus for us.”
Garcia indicated the team is still looking at how to fill the hole left by catcher Hunter Pouyer, who graduated.
“The thing that is the tough part and probably the hardest thing to do is replace our catcher,” Garcia said. “Hunter was absolutely a great catcher and did some great things for us last year.”
Garcia noted the team is thin in that area, but there are several who want to try.
He indicated Kyler Henderson is leading the way in catching for the team, but has throwing issues due to injury.
“That will be our Achilles heel, if you will,” the coach said.
But, he added, the team has a lot of speed and some mature athletes returning, and he sees the Pirates “being a pretty solid team.”
The Pirates went 11-11 last season and finished third in the Intermountain League a 4-4 league record.
The team capped off the season with a playoff loss to Coal Ridge.
The Pirates will open the current season against the 2A Dolores Bears with a doubleheader in Dolores beginning at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6.
Garcia noted he’ll be looking for players to step up and be leaders during the game to help make sure the team is heading in the right direction.
“We’ve got to go out and execute,” he said, adding, “We’re playing against Pagosa Springs, not really Dolores. ... That’s really what I want us to do, is be able to measure ourselves on how we’re going to continue to get better. And, we don’t want to beat ourself, but we want to be able to play the best possible baseball.”
He added the Pirates are champing at the bit to play after having plenty of practices.
Schedule
The following schedule was accurate as of press time, but is subject to change.
After this week’s season opener in Dolores, the Pirates will next travel to Cedaredge for a 3 p.m. matchup.
The following day, the team will take on North Fork for an away doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
After a hiatus, the team will be back in action for a series of games April 3-5 at the Roaring Fork Tournament.
The Pirates will open league play on April 12 with an 11 a.m. doubleheader in Alamosa against the Mean Moose.
On April 15, the team will host the Durango Demons for their first home games of the season, with a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m.
The Pirates will be back on the road on April 19, this time for an 11 a.m. league doubleheader against the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers.
The team will be back on its home field on April 26 for an 11 a.m. league doubleheader against the Centauri Falcons.
The Pirates will hit the road on April 29 for a 4 p.m. game in Bloomfield, N.M.
The Pirates will host the Bayfield Wolverines for a league doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. on May 3, and will host Ignacio for a 3 p.m. game on May 6.
randi@pagosasun.com
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